Harold
by Cora and Robert Forever
Summary: Cora receives a letter about Harold, who has gone missing. Chaos ensues.


INT. CORA'S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. MORNING 1923

CORA IS SITING UP IN BED, WITH HER BREAKFAST TRAY ON HER LAP. THERE COMES A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND EDITH WALKS IN, LOOKING DISTRESSED. CORA LOOKS UP.

CORA: Edith? What's the matter?

EDITH SITS ON THE EDGE OF THE BED AND HOLDS OUT AN OPENED LETTER.

EDITH: It's from Granny.

CORA LOOKS PUZZLED.

CORA: Shouldn't you give it to papa, then?

EDITH: No, it's from your mama. She – she says…

HER VOICE TRAILS OFF AND CORA SCANS HER FACED WITH WORRIED EYES.

CORA: I suppose I'd better read it, then.

SHE SLIDES OUT THE LETTER FROM THE OPENED ENVELOPE, UNFOLDS IT AND BEGINS TO READ. SUDDENLY SHE EMITS A GASP AND LEAPS FROM THE BED.

CORA: What?!

EDITH: They don't know what's happened to him. She just woke up that morning and he wasn't there!

CORA: I must tell your father.

EDITH: He knows.

THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR CORA. SHE SINKS BACK ONTO THE BED, HER BACK TO HER PALE-FACED DAUGHTER.

CORA: My brother goes missing and they don't do anything about it. I just can't put it together. Why don't they know more?!

SHE LEAPS AGAIN FROM THE BED AND TEARS THE LETTER INTO TWO STRIPS. EDITH JUMPS UP TOO, LOOKING HORRIFIED.

EDITH: Mama! That's evidence!

CORA: I don't care. He's my brother and I will not stand by while the police blindly refuse the truth!

EDITH WALKS AROUNDTHE BED AND TAKES HER MOTHER IN HER ARMS. FOR A MOMENT CORA FLINCHES, BUT THEN HER SHOULDERS DROOP AND SHE STARTS TO CRY. SUDDENLY, THE DOOR BURSTS OPEN AND ROBERT COMES STRIDING IN.

ROBERT: Edith, this isn't a good time to tell her!

EDITH: We had to tell her at some point! What's so bad about now?

ROBERT: Your mama is very sensitive and you know how she feels about Harold, considering his reputation. Strike now when the embers are hot and she will boil over. Give her time!

CORA: Well, it's done now. Harold is missing. What can we do about it?

ROBERT FLOPS INTO A CHAIR AND PUTS HIS HEAD IN HIS HANDS.

ROBERT: That's not all.

CORA: What do you mean, "That's not all"?! I should think that's plenty for one day!

ROBERT: There's someone with him.

CORA GOES EXTREMELY PALE AND CLAPS A HAND TO HER MOUTH.

CORA: Who? Who is with my missing brother?!

ROBERT: Madeleine Allsopp.

CORA LOOKS CONFUSED BUT EDITH REALISES AND EMITS A LITTLE GASP.

EDITH: You-you mean, that girl at the London picnic?

ROBERT: Yes. Apparently, they're in love and she was so taken with him that she ran away from home to be with him and got into both the American and British papers. It would seem…

ROBERT LOOKS WORLD-WEARY AND HE PASSES A HAND OVER HIS EYES.

ROBERT: (cont'd) It would seem that they are planning on getting married.

CORA: O my lord!

EDITH: Let's think about this rationally –

SUDDENLY THE DOOR BURTS OPEN AND MARY AND TOM FALL THROUGH IT.

TOM: Let's think about what rationally?

MARY: What are you hiding?

ROBERT STANDS AND FACES THEM ALL.

ROBERT: Harold Levinson has gone missing, along with Madeleine Allsopp.

THEY ARE STUNNED INTO SILENCE. JUST THEN, THERE COMES A SMALL, MUFFLED VOICE , AND LITTLE SYBIL PUSHES INTO THE ROOM AND STARES UP AT HER FATHER.

SYBIL: (staccato and struggled, because of her age - 3) Daddy?

SHE LOOKS AROUND FEARFULLY AT EVERYONE, THEN FIXES HER EYES ON HER FATHER.

TOM: Go back to your room, Sybil darling.

SYBIL: No.

TOM SIGHS AND PICKS HER UP, HOLDING HER CLOSE TO HIM.

TOM: (under his breath) You're a little eejit.

ROBERT CLEARS HIS THROAT PURPOSEFULLY.

TOM: She will stay, Robert.

ROBERT FLINCHES, HIS EYES FLARE AND HE STARTS TO SHOUT.

ROBERT: What's it got to do with you?! You're just a chauffeur!

MARY: Papa! Tom is practically our flesh and blood now!

ROBERT: Well I don't consider him eligible for this topic! (To Tom) Go! Take the child with you!

CORA: Robert, I don't thi-

ROBERT: (cont'd, to Tom) What have you done that suddenly makes you so worthy? You barge in here and make yourself at home!

LITTLE SYBIL STARTS TO CRY. TOM HUGS HER CLOSE AND HIS OWN EYES BRIM. HE STARTS TO OPEN HIS MOUTH TO ARGUE, BUT CORA STEPS IN.

CORA: (raising her voice) Why do you have to make a scene about this, Robert? We started on Harold and now we are talking about Tom! You're not being fair! He has the right to hear what we talk about! Sybil wanted this for him – would she shout at him and tell him he has no right to be here? No, she wouldn't! You always fly off the handle at the most awkward of times!

EVERYONE IS SILENT AT THIS OUTBURST, THEN SUDDENLY, TOM TURNS AND WALKS OUT THE ROOM, CARRYING SYBIL.

EDITH: Well done, papa.

MARY: What are we going to do about Harold?

CORA: I don't know. I really don't know.

THE CAMERA PULLS AWAY FROM THE SCENE AND OUT OF THE WINDOW, WHERE IT TURNS UP AND LOOKS AT THE BLUE SKY, SLOWLY FILLING WITH GREY CLOUDS.


End file.
